Lady Gaga, who had walked the red carpet (this year tinged with a champagne shade) wearing an elegant black Versace dress, strong make-up and diamond jewels, ‘undresses’ to sing, with a transformation that enchanted the Academy Awards. On the night of the Oscars 2023, Lady Gaga she performed on stage at the Dolby Theater singing Hold My Hand, soundtrack of the film Top Gun: Maverick (nominee for Best Original Song). The performance was intense and powerful, almost heartbreaking, and moved the entire audience in Los Angeles and all the audience at home. Soap and water makeup. A simple braid and no ornaments. Black short-sleeved shirt, ripped jeans at the knee and Black converse. This is how the American artist introduced herself, sitting on a stool, without scenography or spectacular staging. “It’s deeply personal to me. We all need each other. We need love to get through this life, and sometimes we need heroes. There are heroes all around us. But you may find that you can be your own hero, even if you’re feeling broken inside.”
After this presentation, Lady Gaga began singing a particularly suggestive acoustic version of the song, which left everyone breathless. A particularly flashy look would have distracted attention from the message of the song: the deep need to be understood and try to understand each other (Cry tonight But don’t you let go of my hand). Lady Gaga has managed to convey all her purity and her great humanity in the simplest way possible, even during a glamorous and luxurious evening like that of the Oscars. With her intimate but at the same time engaging performance, she reached the hearts of the audience, who rewarded her with a memorable standing ovation.